The Flyleaf, 2000
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>jj£t RICE UNIVERSITY m DEC ? 1 8000 MX The Flyleaf Friends of Fondren Library Vol. 51, No. 1 Fall 2000 Charles Maynard Chronicles the Fondren Tour 2000 to Ireland and Scotland A Letter to the Friends Fondren Library Founded under the charter of Dear Friends of Fondren Library: the university dated May 18, 1891, the library was established in 1913. Its present building was dedicated Another very exciting year is well underway for the Friends! November 4, 1949, and rededi- On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to welcome cated in 1969 after a substantial ad- our new board members: Teddy Adams, Georganna Barnes, dition, both made possible by gifts of Ella F. Fondren, her children, John Ribble, Cathryn Rodd Selman,J.D. Sitton, Pam Smith, and the Fondren Foundation and and John Wolf. We are pleased to attract such energetic, hard- Trust as a tribute to Walter William working, devoted individuals to our board year after year. Fondren. The library celebrated its half-millionth I would also like to introduce this year's officers. Robins volume in 1965 and its one-millionth volume on April Brice will serve as vice president for membership, Elizabeth 22, 1979. Kidd as vice president for publications, Frances Heyne as the gala chair, Pamela Giraud as secretary, and Kyle Frazier will again be our treasurer. We are fortunate to have such an im- The Friends pressive group serving the Friends. The Friends of Fondren Li- Our September event was the annual Distinguished Guest brary was founded in 1950 as an as- sociation of library supporters in- Lecture featuring Dr. Antonio R. Damasio. Dr. Damasio was en- terested in increasing and making thusiastically received by the students, faculty, and friends of better known the resources of Fon- Rice University. In fact, many believe this may have been our dren Library at Rice University. largest audience yet! Special thanks to Texas Anderson who The Friends, through members' contributions and sponsorship of chaired this truly wonderful event. a program of memorials and honor In October, Karen Rogers chaired the first-ever Friends of gifts, secure gifts and bequests, and Fondren Book Drive. Thousands of books were collected at Star provide funds for the purchase of Motor Cars in anticipation of the 2001 Book Sale. Thanks to rare books, manuscripts, and other materials that are needed to sup- Karen, Lee Seureau, and all of the volunteers who worked hard port teaching and research at the to make this drive a real success. university. It was good to see you at the annual Homecoming Brunch in November. We were so pleased to honor Dr. David L. Minter this year for his commitment to the Friends and to Fondren Li- The Flyleaf brary. You will have the opportunity to read all about this excit- Founded October, 1950, The Flyleaf'is published by the Friends ing afternoon in the next issue of The Flyleaf. of Fondren Library, MS - 245, Rice As many of you know, plans are already underway for our University, RO. Box 1892, Hous- next Friends of Fondren Gala. I am happy to announce that we ton, Texas 77251-1892. TheFlykaf will be honoring the Fondren family and The Fondren Founda- is a record of the activities of the Friends, the Fondren Library, and tion who have contributed so significantly to Rice University's the generosity of the library's sup- Fondren Library. Please mark Friday, April 6, 2001, on your cal- porters. The Flyleaf is published endar. I hope you will join us. three times in each academic cal- endar year and is also available Sincerely, online at the Friends of Fondren web site at http://ruf.riee.edu/~fofl/. ctaisf Lucas T Elliot President The Flyleaf 2 9 RICE UNIVERSITY Contents The Flyleaf £^J» Fondren Tour of Ireland and Scotland Page 4 Editors: Elizabeth W. Kidd, Lecture 17 Vice President, Publications Antonio Damasio Page Mary Bixby Book Drive Page 18 Mary PatJulian Treasures in the Attic Page 1 Photographs: Mary Bixby JeffFitlow Board Profiles Page 21 Mary PatJulian Charles Maynard Bookmark Page 23 Layout: Friends of Fondren Membership Page 25 University Publications Gifts to Fondren Library Page 26 Looking Ahead Page 28 Board of Directors 2000-2001 Officers Lucas T. Elliot, President Edward B. "Teddy" Adams, Jr. David L. Minter, Ph.D. Robins Brice, Vice President, Membership Georganna Allen Barnes Robert L. Patten, Ph.D. Elizabeth W. Kidd, Vice President, Publications Alan Harris Bath John C. Ribble, M.D. Texas Anderson John W. Brice Cathryn Rodd Selman Frances Heyne David S. Elder Lee Chatham Seureau Karen Hess Rogers Diana P. Hobby Michelle M. Shedd Vice Presidents, Special Events Mrs. Thomas W. Houghton J.D. Sitton, III Mrs. Pamela S. Giraud, Secretary Charles D. Maynard, Jr. Pamela Riley Smith Kyle Allen Frazier, Treasurer Mary Catherine Miller John E. Wolf, Jr., M.D. Katherine Fiebleman Miner Bettv Bonnt Seale Wood Ex Officio Eugene H. Levy, Ph.D., Provost Charles Henry, Ph.D., Vice President and ChiefInformation Officer John B. Boles, Ph.D., Chairman, University Committee on the Library Mary D. Bixby, Executive Director Mary Pat Julian, Associate Director RICE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 3 1272 70157 2453 Winter 20(H) 3i Friends Visit Ireland and Scotland by Charles D. Maynard,Jr. was brisk at midday as our of the lawyers. And then there tonic for lingering jetlag and Itcoach rolled onto the Shan- was Lady Jane whose colossal the somnolent, if pleasant, ef- non Dolphin at the Killimer erudition and awesome elocu- fect of a morning coach tour Ferry terminal. The wide ex- tion did little to conceal warmth through the Burren which had panse of the Shannon afforded us a glimpse estuary lay between us of Cliffs of Moher and and Glin Castle, the several hours to absorb first of many stops on large doses of the wis- our bibliographic itin- dom ofJinny. She had erary. Most of us had delivered a first rate arrived in Ireland the lecture on Anglo-Irish previous day, much of history, laced with per- which was whiled away sonal anecdotes and in the luxurious sur- perfectly illustrated by roundings of Adare the crumbling rock Manor, the first of our cottages strewn across lodgings. Introduc- the face of the barren, tions had been made surprisingly once where necessary and populous Burren. An acquaintances re- The Burren English woman who newed that evening had spent much time over a sumptuous meal carefully and depth of sentiment that in Ireland, Jinny evinced a re- planned by our guide, Lady would turn what might simply spect and sympathy for the Irish Jane Howard, and beautifully have been a pleasant journey and their tragic history that con- executed by the warm and un- into a joyful pilgrimage. Word vincingly transcended pity. failingly polite Adare Manor had been from those who made Ireland is a place of excep- staff. As with most journeys, it is the first tour with Jinny that we tional beauty, but luxuriant, not our traveling companions, as were to be guided by a remark- dramatic. It rarely takes your much as our destinations that breath away. Rather, it envelopes make them memorable. A won- Ireland is a place of you in a sense of timeless well-be- derfully eclectic group dined ing. The rain is gentle; the wind together for the first time that exceptional beauty, soft; the temperature moderate; evening. A librarian, appropri- the light glowing. Its aspect be- ately; a physician and educator; but luxuriant, nign. Therefore, it takes a con- an internet entrepreneur; a vet- scious effort to grasp the harsh eran of international oil and gas not dramatic. reality of life in a seemingly pleas- exploration and development; ant landscape, even in a place as an editor and philanthropist; It rarely takes your stony and unyielding as the and, alas, a passel of lawyers, Burren, more picturesque than breath variously active and retired, away. stark. Tourists are told mat the thoroughly in need, and pre- gentians and orchids thriving in sumably in pursuit, of rehabili- able woman. They had not ex- the fissures of its rocks support a tation. Most importantly, a con- aggerated. local perfumery, a 20di century tingent of uncommonly lovely Halfway across the estuary nicety that conceals 19th century ladies, their luster undimin- dolphins crossed our bow, grin- reality. UnderJinny's gentle tute- ished by the fact that several ning in porpoise propitiousness. lage, eschewing nostalgia, we were traveling in the company The cool salt air was a perfect were able to \isualize the difficul- M The Flvleaf 4 ties that faced those who had but interesting library. Most of once lived there in great num- the collection was of local, not bers, victims of famine and, as literary, import, such as a 19th elsewhere in the U.K., clearances. century roster of the local royal As we approached the south yacht club that listed the then shore, we passed an enormous occupant of the British throne power station, its stacks rising and an earlier Knight as the pre- into the mist, a reminder of how eminent members. We were much has changed in Ireland. joined by Madam Fitzgerald Within minutes and within sight who would lead us outdoors. of the stacks, we arrived at Glin The garden encompassed Castle, facing north across the greensward, flowered slopes and Shannon about 30 miles west of woodland paths in addition to a Limerick. We were greeted by traditional walled garden, over- Desmond Fitzgerald, the 29th flowing with vegetables, herbs Knight of Glin in a succession and cutting flowers, all detailed dating from the late 13th cen- in Madam Fitzgerald's book tury.